Slothful specialists at MGM Medical College and Hospital in Sakchi were in for an unpleasant surprise when East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amitabh Kaushal paid them a visit on Tuesday and showcaused three for being MIA during duty hours.

The one-and-a-half-hour inspection began at 10.50am at hospital superintendent Shiv Shanker Prasad’s chamber. Kaushal — arguably the first deputy commissioner in Jharkhand’s chequered administrative history to have conducted such an extensive check at the state-run hospital — quizzed Prasad on MGM’s day-to-day operations. Soon, he had the superintendent huffing and puffing on his heels as he hopped from one department to another.

Radiology, gynaecology, medicine, orthopaedic and surgical wards, besides the OPD and emergency unit, were on Kaushal’s hurricane itinerary. The district boss found Dr G.S. Baraik, head of orthopaedic, Dr B.K. Choudhary (gynaecology) and Dr Bimlesh Kumar (dental) missing from their posts. The truant trio have been asked to explain why they were not in hospital within 24 hours.

According to a source in the district administration, Tuesday’s surprise inspection was spurred by recurring reports in the media about irregularities at the state-owned heal hub and complaints received from NGOs about negligent treatment.

Speaking to The Telegraph later, Kaushal once again expressed his dissatisfaction over doctors playing truant and flaws in MGM hospital’s overall functioning.

“It is a very serious issue and I have asked the superintendent to ensure that doctors are present in their respective wards during duty hours. Primary rules — such as displaying doctor duty rosters for the public — are not being adhered to, causing inconvenience. I have asked rosters to be put up so that a particular doctor or a nurse can be contacted without delay during an emergency,” he said.

The deputy commissioner further conceded that he was disgusted with the lack of hygiene at MGM. “The hospital does not have disposable masks in adequate quantity. Authorities have been asked to ensure basic hygiene standards and make disposable stationery readily available,” he said.

Doctors without uniform and identity tags also invited Kaushal’s ire. “Resident doctors cannot roam wards without apron and label. I was shocked to see many did.”

Among a host of other directives, the deputy commissioner has asked the MGM superintendent to make his men abide by the dress code and ensure that patient medical history charts are attached to every bed. Hospital dietician Nagendra Nath Sinha has been categorically told to monitor meals and maintain quality on a daily basis.

After the inspection, superintendent Prasad said he had served notices to all MGM departments, asking them to follow Kaushal’s orders with immediate effect.